Jet Set Radio HD (PS Vita) Review

Freshness Preserved.

  Jet Set Radio was fresh and fun back in 2000, it's also one of Sega's most beloved titles. That's mainly due to it's cel-shaded visuals, which were new at that time, and slick presentation. Various media outlets praised the game for it's upbeat soundtrack, unique art-style, and smooth gameplay. In 2002, the game spawned a sequel, Jet Set Radio Future, exclusively for the original Xbox. Also, Beat, the main character, was featured as a playable character in Sega's racing game, Sonic & All-Stars Racing. In 2012, Sega announced that Jet Set Radio will be receiving the HD treatment. So, did Sega got it right, or got caught by the crazy police force? 

STORY- The plot takes places in Tokyo-to, a city that's overrun by skaters who roam the streets sparing graffiti as a means of self-expression. You start off as Beat, a skater looking to recruit members for his gang, the GG's. He meets and recruit two skaters, Gum and Tab, and from there the story takes off. The story is mainly narrated by Professor K, DJ of music station, Jet Set Radio, and will explain the story's events over the course of the game. Jet Set Radio features some fun and memorable characters such Beat, Professor K, and police Captain Onishima. 

Explore the colorful world of Jet Set Radio.

GAMEPLAY- Jet Set Radio mainly consist of you picking a character, choosing a level, and start spraying the streets. As you progress through the game, you'll come across some rivals looking to join the GG's. Once they are beaten, they will start hanging-out in the garage. Each member has their own strength and weaknesses, making each playthrough a varied one.

 Tokyo-to is divided into three areas: Shibuya-Cho, Kogane-Cho, and Benten-Cho, each with their own levels and bosses. The levels themselves are well-designed, allowing Beat and company to perform neat tricks and maneuvers. It's made even more lively with the presence of citizens and traffic. 

The various level are vibrant and lively.

 Throughout the game, the GG's will be sparying their graffiti over various areas of Tokyo-to. However, since graffiti is a crime, the police force will be gaining on you. Hell, they'll even deploy tanks, choppers, tear gas, and open fire, all that manpower just so they can get some street skaters... 

 When spraying graffiti, the game will prompt you to follow arrows to successfully spray the graffiti. Just a note, it's better to spray when you're away from enemies since things can get hectic quick. In the garage, you can make custom graffiti to use, which is a fun considering the limitless possibilities. 

Spraying graffiti and claiming the streets of Tokyo-to
is fun.

 Upon clearing levels and moving into the next area, more side-levels are made available. They range from spraying the given level with graffiti, perform tricks and gain points in a specific time limit, and so on.

 The game is fluid and easy to control, it's basically easy to get into. However, the camera, which was disorienting and annoying back in 2000, is still the same here. On the Vita, the controls can be a bit slippery at times, which can lead to some slight frustrations.

PRESENTATION- The backgrounds and character models are okay to some extent, but the colors and art-style of the game are simply some of the game's best aspects. The soundtrack is the heart of Jet Set Radio. There are loads of catchy, upbeats sounds to listen. From the cool and electric "Electric Toothbrush" to the odd and upbeat "Super Brothers", the soundtrack was ahead of its time. It's fresh and enjoyable to listen, to put it simply: the game is nothing without the soundtrack. It still sounds fresh even after 15 years! 

The presentation is persevered well here, including the soundtrack.

 As for the HD edition, all of the songs are here, except for the song "Yappie Feet" possibly due to licensing issues, which shouldn't be much of a problem. The soundtrack is preserved in all it's glory with no issues.

OVERALL- The HD edition of Jet Set Radio is a nice treat for old fans carving more of the series and new ones looking to get into the series. Even after all these years, the game looks and play great, except for the camera at times. For $10, you can't go wrong with an old classic. Now if Sega would listen to fans and make an HD edition of Jet Set Radio Future, that would be great...

EXCELLENT